


In which the Puppies Turn 30

by Esinde Nayrall (red_squared)



Series: The Scorching One [15]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-05-18
Updated: 2011-05-18
Packaged: 2017-10-20 10:03:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 428
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/211572
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/red_squared/pseuds/Esinde%20Nayrall
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>See title.</p>
            </blockquote>





	In which the Puppies Turn 30

**Author's Note:**

  * For [gryffindorJ](https://archiveofourown.org/users/gryffindorJ/gifts).



> Something short and drabble-y (except that I didn't stick to the 100 words exactly -- big surprise) for [](http://gryffindor-j.livejournal.com/profile)[](http://gryffindor-j.livejournal.com/)**gryffindor_j** 's 30th birthday -- just to show how very, very much worse it could be >:D
> 
> Originally posted [**here**](http://always-cocksure.livejournal.com/7716.html) on [](http://always-cocksure.livejournal.com/profile)[](http://always-cocksure.livejournal.com/)**always_cocksure** and re-posting because the other thing is locked.

He can't take any time off work, because he needs to save all of his leave for Full.

Besides, it's not as if there's anybody who knows what today means, why it's important or would want to help him celebrate.

 _Celebrate what?_ he thinks to himself.

"You didn't say anything," Aethelred says. He's holding a cake and is followed by all of the others who work in the lab. "So we checked your file."

"Oh, how... I didn't want a fuss," Remus says, putting the grindylow he's handling back in the tank.

"Who cares what you want? _You_ get cake on everybody else's birthday. You can't deprive us of cake on yours."

For a moment he's mortified, because he hasn't paid for the cake and can't afford to.

Later, after the candles (thirty) and singing (off key) and everybody has gone back to work, he asks Aethelred how much he owes for the cake. He's brushed off, of course, because these are petty things he shouldn't trouble himself with and it's no bother, but... perhaps Remus would like to join him for a drink after work?

Remus looks at Aethelred's dark hair and sharp smile and eyes that aren't quite the right shade of grey and all he can think about is that same dark hair, eyes that _are_ the right shade of grey and a sharp smile and a barking laugh that were the sweetest poison in the world.

And he says 'no'. Because the cake only costs money, after all. But the rest... the rest is something he _really_ can't afford.

Not again.

~*~

James is dead. Remus is dead. Peter...

Evans is dead, and McKinnon and, and, and...

"Is there anybody I want to call?" Sirius drawls at the Auror who's overseeing his annual inspection.

There is only one person in the world he can think of that he might want to talk to, but he doesn't know if Harry's house is connected to the Floo.

Or if Harry wants anything to do with him.

"I don't bother myself with calling people," he says as obnoxiously as possible, and manages a genuine smile when the Auror actually takes an involuntary step back away from him. "They normally call me," he adds.

They take him back to his cell and he nods haughtily at the warden who holds his cell open for him, as if the man is a servant attending a door.

And when they're gone, he allows himself to shake, one hand over his eyes and the other on the wall to hold himself up.

**Author's Note:**

> All comments and kudos are appreciated and treasured -- even (especially?) on a fic as old as this one!


End file.
